ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. — A historic cemetery in Escambia County is getting a makeover to the tune of $250,000.

Escambia County commissioners voted on Monday to approve a 10-year restoration plan at the Good Hope Cemetery in Warrington.

The gravesite is the subject of a recent community cleanup effort that helped drive Monday’s decision.

The county is partnering with the University of West Florida on this 10-year project.

County officials and staff with UWF’s archeology department say this project goes beyond landscaping and restoration, it’s about documenting history.

“My great grandfather started the cemetery,” Pastor Marcel Davis said.

The Tourism Development Council approved the plan last month.

It will give $25,000 a year toward the cemetery restoration efforts for the next decade.

District 2 Commissioner Mike Kohler says the project is long overdue.

“When you go around the base and you see that we’re trying to improve the blight and things, if you went a couple weeks ago it was completely overgrown, homeless there, trash, you wouldn’t have realized it was a cemetery from Barrancas,” Commissioner Kohler said.

WEAR News’ crews captured the cleanup over the last few months, it was overrun by squatters and litter. We’re told the problems arose when the Good Hope A.M.E. Church struggled to maintain it over low funds and attendance.

Members of the University of West Florida’s archaeology department emphasized to the Tourism Development Council that this project is for much more than getting rid of yard waste.

“Part of what this money will pay for is not just maintenance but documentation of the cemetery and our ability to invite the public to the cemetery because it will be made safe,” Jennifer Melcher, UWF archaeology department said.

“It was moving for a lot of people,” Commissioner Kohler said. “I think all the community support to clean it up and now UWF taking it on will be something special that our Warrington community recognizes it’s a black cemetery that was neglected for too long.”

Melcher previously confirmed the cemetery dates back between reconstruction and the start of segregation.

We’re waiting to hear from UWF on when they will get started, and what the first steps of restoring this cemetery will be.